used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading And you couldn't help giving a second promise, and you couldn't tell for fear of getting somebody else into trouble.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading One or two of those 'couldn'ts' were real, but not all of them."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "You couldn't help giving your first promise, and you couldn't break it; and you couldn't help going out of bounds, because you had promised.
for the reason that
From this reading "You couldn't help giving your first promise, and you couldn't break it; and you couldn't help going out of bounds, because you had promised.
boundsnounUS /baʊndz/
the line or plane indicating the limit or extent of something
From this reading "You couldn't help giving your first promise, and you couldn't break it; and you couldn't help going out of bounds, because you had promised.
terminate
From this reading "You couldn't help giving your first promise, and you couldn't break it; and you couldn't help going out of bounds, because you had promised.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading One or two of those 'couldn'ts' were real, but not all of them."
couldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "So many things you 'couldn't' do," he said slowly.
couldn'ts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One or two of those 'couldn'ts' were real, but not all of them."
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "So many things you 'couldn't' do," he said slowly.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And you couldn't help giving a second promise, and you couldn't tell for fear of getting somebody else into trouble.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading And you couldn't help giving a second promise, and you couldn't tell for fear of getting somebody else into trouble.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading "You couldn't help giving your first promise, and you couldn't break it; and you couldn't help going out of bounds, because you had promised.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading And you couldn't help giving a second promise, and you couldn't tell for fear of getting somebody else into trouble.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading And you couldn't help giving a second promise, and you couldn't tell for fear of getting somebody else into trouble.
the act of giving
From this reading "You couldn't help giving your first promise, and you couldn't break it; and you couldn't help going out of bounds, because you had promised.
the act of departing
From this reading "You couldn't help giving your first promise, and you couldn't break it; and you couldn't help going out of bounds, because you had promised.
destroyed or killed
From this reading "She needn't have said I'd gone and told lies.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "You couldn't help giving your first promise, and you couldn't break it; and you couldn't help going out of bounds, because you had promised.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "She needn't have said I'd gone and told lies.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "So many things you 'couldn't' do," he said slowly.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading "You couldn't help giving your first promise, and you couldn't break it; and you couldn't help going out of bounds, because you had promised.
I'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "She needn't have said I'd gone and told lies.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading And you couldn't help giving a second promise, and you couldn't tell for fear of getting somebody else into trouble.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "You couldn't help giving your first promise, and you couldn't break it; and you couldn't help going out of bounds, because you had promised.
plural of “lie” — a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth
From this reading "She needn't have said I'd gone and told lies.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading "So many things you 'couldn't' do," he said slowly.
needn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "She needn't have said I'd gone and told lies.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading One or two of those 'couldn'ts' were real, but not all of them."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "You couldn't help giving your first promise, and you couldn't break it; and you couldn't help going out of bounds, because you had promised.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One or two of those 'couldn'ts' were real, but not all of them."
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading One or two of those 'couldn'ts' were real, but not all of them."
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "You couldn't help giving your first promise, and you couldn't break it; and you couldn't help going out of bounds, because you had promised.
make a promise or commitment
From this reading "You couldn't help giving your first promise, and you couldn't break it; and you couldn't help going out of bounds, because you had promised.
past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment
From this reading "You couldn't help giving your first promise, and you couldn't break it; and you couldn't help going out of bounds, because you had promised.
being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory
From this reading One or two of those 'couldn'ts' were real, but not all of them."
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "So many things you 'couldn't' do," he said slowly.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading And you couldn't help giving a second promise, and you couldn't tell for fear of getting somebody else into trouble.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "She needn't have said I'd gone and told lies.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading "So many things you 'couldn't' do," he said slowly.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "So many things you 'couldn't' do," he said slowly.
a person, without saying who
From this reading And you couldn't help giving a second promise, and you couldn't tell for fear of getting somebody else into trouble.
express in words
From this reading And you couldn't help giving a second promise, and you couldn't tell for fear of getting somebody else into trouble.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading One or two of those 'couldn'ts' were real, but not all of them."
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading "So many things you 'couldn't' do," he said slowly.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading One or two of those 'couldn'ts' were real, but not all of them."
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading "She needn't have said I'd gone and told lies.
a source of difficulty
From this reading And you couldn't help giving a second promise, and you couldn't tell for fear of getting somebody else into trouble.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading One or two of those 'couldn'ts' were real, but not all of them."
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading One or two of those 'couldn'ts' were real, but not all of them."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "So many things you 'couldn't' do," he said slowly.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "You couldn't help giving your first promise, and you couldn't break it; and you couldn't help going out of bounds, because you had promised.
